#discussion prompting

[that-dreaming-dragon]

Dragons and Hoarding 龍與囤寶習性

I remember seeing somewhere on this concept of accepting the humanity, or the influence of, in our nonhuman identities.

Where some idea we have towards some preestablished creature, and how we think we should behave and have instincts of, perhaps the way how this world's human sees them have affected how we see ourselves. This sort of phenomenon and acknowledgement I think is more natural for fictionfolk, conceptfolk, or others that have more human touch like objectfolk. I recon there likely a lot of resistance from generally nonhuman focused subcommunity.

(I'm adopting -folk suffix from the fictionfolk term, denoting any general alterhuman relation or identities tied to that subject. So say objectfolk would be anyone that may have some sort of relation towards objects, whether it be an archetrope, heartedness, or the vaguest sense of connection, etc)

Whenever we talk about draconity, about 9 out of 10 people think of hoarding. And it's like the most natural behavioral instinct to associate with draconity. But just like there are more than meat-eating, fire-breathing, webbed-winged, scaled, large 6-limbed lizard dragons, there are dragons who don't hoard.

I think about it sometimes, about my participation in the topic of hoarding and draconity, about my own inconsistent hoarding tendencies. Am I performing what is expected of me from other fellow dragons, or what humans expect of dragons? Do I truly have the instinct to hoard, or is it just other mental health or neurotype factors? Orthohuman has the term hoarder, other creatures besides dragons hoard, why is hoarding such a big defining draconic trait?

Chinese translation under the cut.

我記得在某處看到這種接受人性，或是人性對我們非人類的身分所有的影響的概念。

就是這種對於現有的物種，和我們該如何表現，或該有什麼樣的本能，甚至是對於種種物種的認知是否有些觀念是來自人類的，這樣的一個觀點。我覺得這樣的一個現象和認可，或許對於來自故事或跟構思概念相連的的眾民[1]，或是跟人類有密切關係的物件眾民，是比較自然而然的。我想在較專注於非人類自我的分群裏頭，會對於這樣的觀點產生比較大的牴觸。

(我把-folk/眾民，這個後綴從fictionfolk拿來配用在其他的身分上頭。眾民/-folk這個尾綴是在表示跟一個主題有任何人另經驗[2]的關係或自我認同。比如說，物件眾民是任何跟物品有可能相關聯的個體。不論是典型套路[3]的自我特點，心連[4]，甚至於是最模糊的關係等。)

每當我們討論到龍性的時候，十之八九總會提到龍收珍藏寶。這算是最常跟龍性聯想在一起的習性本能。不過就像是龍並不只有食肉噴火，蝠翼鱗身，四足兩翼的巨大蜥蜴龍種，有的龍是不收寶的。

我有時候會在參與龍性與收寶的主題討論時，思考著我自己不規則的收寶傾向。我難道依照其他龍的預想，或是人們對龍的期望，來作了個演出？我是真的有收寶的龍本能，還是這只是受心理健康或神經多樣的影響？原人類[5]有囤積者這樣一個字眼，龍以外有其他的生物也會收藏囤寶，為什麼龍囤寶的習性會這麼的凸顯呢？

翻譯筆記 Translation note

1- 眾民 (-folk), the totality of a group of people A lot of the translation of this nature that denotes a group of people or just people, in general, uses the words or have connotations strictly containing humanity. I want it to be species vague and still show "the totality of this subculture", thus 眾 (the populace), and 民 (the people, the denizens) are organized in this way. Can be shortened to just the first character used. 很多folk的翻譯字只帶有人類這樣的含意，我想要表達一個物種模糊的感覺，然後保持著「所有在這個分群裏頭的個體」這樣的一個概念，所以把民眾反了過來用。也可以單純寫[物種]眾。 2- 人另經歷 (alterhuman), human(ity) alternative experience. The translation doesn't use the words that denote a "physical experience" (體驗) but a more general, almost mental experience. The specific one is picked because alterhumanity is a lifelong experience, and it is vague on how it is experienced. The way the words are arranged, instead of 另人 (alternative human) is exactly that (人另). The ambiguity provided by the swap in position gives more room for human and nonhuman alterhuman experiences alike. Experience有幾個翻譯，體驗是其中一個。不過體驗的體給我太大「這是身體的經驗」感太強了，所以我用了一個比較概誇籠統，比較心神上的體驗來作翻譯。用經歷是因為這是一個終身的經驗和體驗，這樣翻也會在如何體驗方面顯得比較模糊。Alterhuman，或是Alternative Human 直翻是另類人類，那個的含意和感覺都不好，況且跟英文不同，真的去強調人類。反過來之後的含糊感給了我更多空間來表達人類另外經驗所包含的人和非人的經歷體驗。 3- 典型套路 (archetrope), archetype trope. Literally translated and the words picked to best suit the vibe the concept of archetrope gives me: the role, the title, the trope, the narrative space which one occupies, where one embodies and performs. 直譯典型archetype和套路trope兩字。我專門挑典型和套路來作翻譯是因為兩者合起來的感覺比較對得上archetrope這個自我認知概念： 一個身分定位，頭銜，套路，或自我所體現和展現的敘事空間的自我特點。 4- 心連 (hearted), heart connected In the abstract that is otherheartedness, it is the most basic connection, a relation towards a subject, that you feel you identify with. 在它心連感這樣的抽象概念中，這是一個對於一個主題的認同，一種最基層的連繫感。心的連結。 5- 原人類 (orthohuman), origin(ally) human Shortening originally into origin human, someone who has typical human experiences and identities, non-alterhuman. 從原來人類縮短成原人類。指一個擁有典型人類經歷和身分自我，並非人另經歷的個體。

[allthingswhumpyandangsty]

fanfic writing culture isn’t “oh dang! I wanted to write about this prompt with this character but someone else already wrote it, so now I can’t”.

fanfic writing culture is always “two cakes is better than one. the more the merrier. there can ever be enough fics of this character with this prompt!”

[kitschyfemme]

when they got "character who made an undeniably terrible decision but man i dont know what i would have done either" at the function

CHARACTERS THIS POST WAS ABOUT

GO HERE NOW.

[glitchdollmemoria]

please can we stop describing bigots as delusional. please. im so fucking tired. someone being sucked into a hate group surrounded by others who believe minorities should be oppressed and encouraging them to believe in conspiracy theories that the rest of the group believes, is fundamentally different from someone having a mental illness that causes delusions.

delusions, by definition, cannot be explained by things like cultural background - such as having a belief constantly reinforced by intentional attempts to rationalize it for the sake of maintaining power over minorities. yes, someone can be both delusional and a bigot, and yes conspiracy theories can feed into delusions, but the two are not fucking synonymous.

i did not spend my teen years convinced that i was being stalked by demons just to hear so many of you people equate my disability with incel behavior and genocidal propaganda. stop reinforcing harmful connotations about mental health struggles.

[unhingedlesbear]

People really need to get a grip on what zoophilia is. No, petplay is not zoophilia. Furries are not zoophiles. Therians are not zoophiles. People who find anthros attractive are not zoophiles. Zoophilia is when a person fucks an animal which cannot consent I need people to stop watering down the severity of this by accusing everything under the sun of being zoophilia except for actual zoophilia. Be serious

[gomzdrawfr]

cw: sea animal death

okok, I've never ran walked home this quick just for some doodles inspired by this and this (if you haven't already, go check it out)

tags u...@on-a-lucky-tide

[puppetmaster13u]

Prompt 301

Ellie, during one of her stints of what do I do with my life right now, decides to, with the help of her Original Dad-Person (Look he’s aging and she’s not and it gets less questions the older he gets if he says daughter instead of sister with how the Fentons are getting older too) creates a Boo-Tube channel. No, not a Youtube channel, those are stuck to a single dimension.

Bootube on the other hand? Due to being through the Realms (and wow is Tucker getting so much income from creating it) is interdimensional. Which is so cool honestly. And she doesn’t know what to do at first, and honestly there’s already so many travel blogs that she kind of just… decided to do something that she wished someone had done for her and her brothers and Danny when she was new to the world. 

So she creates the channel CAAW: Clone Awareness, Accommodations, and Welfare. They had to learn things through trial and error, but maybe she can help someone out there learn how to find their own selves, or even help someone not melt. 

[brenatto-apothecary]

I am a very vocal hater of the whole "the game is just for the cast you can't criticize it ever!!" mentality, to the extent that even when it's in response to a take I think is awful, it will always bother me more than the original take. After some reflection, I've broken it down to five key reasons why it upsets me so much.

1) The obvious one is that the idea that the show is only being made for the cast is false. If they didn't intend to make a piece of entertainment, they wouldn't have posted it online. A lot of creative works are made with the creators enjoyment as the highest priority. That does not mean that's all it was made for.

2) The way these posts commonly focus on how the cast isn't obligated to do what other people want is a fundamental misunderstanding of what criticism is and why we make it. I assure you the vast majority of people do not think their complaints should be met with the cast personally kneeling before them.

3) It implies that something being made with love automatically makes disliking any element of it wrong. Which is a belief that is impossible to hold without becoming a hypocrite. There is no way in hell you have never disliked a piece that the creator(s) had fun making. I'm writing this post for my personal enjoyment. Have fun with that paradox.

4) There's this weird belief that all complaints are about specific desires that weren't met. There are actually a whole lot of posts about whether the story succeeded in doing what it intended to do, but I guess I can't expect people to read things.

5) This is my big one. Art deserves to be criticized. It's one of if not the most important way of interacting with a work. I don't believe saying actual play is uniquely exempt from critique is respectful of the medium. You are treating it as though it shouldn't be engaged with in the way we engage with all other art and is, therefore, lesser.

[questions-about-blorbos]

Trigger warning: rape/ non-con, violence, murder

Every poll on this blog is about fictional characters only. This request was sent to us and we made a poll in response to it. Send any Blorbo/fandom-related question you want to our inbox and we’ll make a poll on which people can vote

[stars-obsession-pit]

What do you mean my “secret identity”? (DP AU)

Danny never cared to try to keep up a secret identity. Well, he did consider it at first, but then he decided it would be pointless. Ghosts would be able to tell anyway, and presumably his parents must have noticed immediately.

True, he never went around announcing that he’s the half-ghost vigilante, but he never saw a need to. Surely it’s more than obvious enough.

Even if they ignore the words of the ghosts who know, his appearance is still a dead giveaway. His body and voice barely changed aside from his hair and eye color. He wears a full-body suit like the Fentons and uses their tech. Hell, he even goes by nearly the exact same name! “Danny Phantom” may as well be a homophone of “Danny Fenton” even before you consider accents.

…so why do so many people seem to completely ignore the connection?! They could just be pretending so as to not give away the ruse, but that really isn’t necessary for them. Danny doesn’t care, and it’s not like revealing that they know would negatively affect the average person’s life at all (unlike with Danny’s own parents, who might lose business if other ghost hunters stop trusting their work).

[thatone-churro]

hang on. there’s no way we’re revitalizing “are [cishet] aro people queer” discourse. it is almost 20-fucking-24. no. say sike right now. you’re all fucking ridiculous. how are we not only not over this, but bringing it up for active discourse again. and acting like the things being said are common discussion and not. blatant aphobia. which is homophobia. it’s queerphobia. did we never fucking learn from the many “they want us to fight amongst ourselves because if we’re divided it’s easier to ruin us” type talks that everyone was making a while ago. or was that a phase too. what happened to “anything not heteronormative is what queer is. anything with romance/sex/gender that’s othered from what society deems the “norm” is what we are. we are a community of outcasts because the greater community doesn’t want us either way.” what the shit.

[curiositysavesthecat]

*This poll was submitted to us and we simply posted it so people could vote and discuss their opinions on the matter. If you’d like for us to ask the internet a question for you, feel free to drop the poll of your choice in our inbox and we’ll post them anonymously (for more info, please check our pinned post).

[comikas-fandom-dump]

The "Itachi Retcon"

Because the fandom still believes that Itachi got "retconned last minute" and I decided I wanted to submit an analysis to @itachi-uchiha-week.

Obviously, I'm an Itachi fan, but if you consider yourself to be one of his antis, at the very least, you will find this post insightful as to why Itachi fans believe that Itachi was "never retconned". Conversely, if you are an Itachi fan, you might find some of the contents of this post upsetting, for this is intended as an analysis.

Length: • 2.8 K Content: • The Kobayashi Interview • Proto-Itachi • Between Two Debuts • Itachi's Debut Mission • Confirmed Retcons

DISCLAIMER: Blue links are sources. The art in the header is mine, but drawn referencing Kishimoto's original art.

The Kobayashi Interview

A retcon (short for "retroactive continuity") is the act of retroactively adding to and/or subtracting from an established canon, in a way that either recontextualizes or contradicts past events. While technically, reveals also fit this description, the most commonly accepted definition only applies if the author changed their mind between publications.

Undeniably, Itachi's plot twist (Chapter #397-#403) recontextualizes every single scene Itachi had previously appeared in. But since when had the scene been planned? How much of Itachi's screentime was retconned? Well, there's a statement on that.

Back in 2014, Masashi Kishimoto gave an interview about his work on Kendo Kobayashi's "Mando Kobayashi" show, broadcast by the Japanese network "Fuji TV One Two Next" on December 13th. These days, Naruto fans commonly refer to it as "the Kobayashi interview". To my knowledge, the original video is no longer available and has never received an official English translation. However, we still have fan transcriptions, translations, and summaries. According to those fan contributions, Kishimoto explains how he was very flexible with his story, adding and changing things as he went. Several questions in, Kobayashi then inquires about Sasuke's brother, and that's when this happens:

Transcript by @/kamosuke69 on posfie.com コバヤシ ：「サスケの過去、殺したいやつがいるのあたりは？と聞かれて」 岸本 ：「なんかお兄ちゃんがいる、でもお兄ちゃん悪いことしたっては考えていた」 コバヤシ ：「じゃあそのままイタチは単に悪い奴というままいったかもしれない？」 岸本 ：「いや、イタチを出すくらいの時はもう本当は良い奴と決めていた」 Translation by an anonymous, tired Itachi fan Kobayashi: "What about the part about Sasuke’s past, where Sasuke said there was someone he wanted to kill?" Kishimoto: "He had a brother, but I was thinking his brother did something bad." Kobayashi: "So it could have been that you’d just let Itachi be a bad guy?" Kishimoto: "No, about the time I was to roll out Itachi, I’d already decided he was a good guy."

So yes, Kishimoto altered Itachi's character over the course of production, but that change was already in place ahead of Itachi's debut, according to the mangaka himself.

So, Itachi has never been retconned, right? Well, not necessarily.

While Kishimoto did state he had changed his mind about Itachi before he was "rolled out", Itachi technically had two debuts in the series. Since Itachi's appearance in Chapter #49 and after were mere flashbacks, however, only Chapter #139 is considered to be Itachi's "official debut" in the Naruto manga. So, assuming that "rolling out" referred to Chapter #139, that would mean Chapter #49 (among others) was indeed retconned.

But that's the problem. We have to assume. Since we cannot know for sure whether Kishimoto meant Itachi's "official debut" or "any appearance at all", let's try to reconstruct the mangaka's thought process.

Proto-Itachi

While I personally don't think that Kishimoto was planning to turn Itachi into a "good guy" at any point prior to the Chunin Exams, it's still an era of the development process worth exploring.

Let's start with Sasuke's backstory because, in a way, Itachi is the personification of Sasuke's backstory. It is implied pretty early on that something horrible has happened in the boy's past. Interestingly, however, the story does not yet delve into the specifics, and neither does it name the perpetrator. Nevertheless, in the Kobayashi interview, it sounds like Kishimoto had already intended to make Itachi the object of Sasuke's revenge at this point in time. He simply hadn't revealed/canonized that piece of information yet.

Kobayashi: "What about the part about Sasuke’s past, where Sasuke said there was someone he wanted to kill?" Kishimoto: "He had a brother, but I was thinking his brother did something bad."

But there's also something else.

First of all, a page from the Fourth Databook reveals that Itachi was originally conceived as the leader of Konoha's "Itachi Squad", a team operating under ANBU (note: "ANBU" stands for "Special Assassination and Tactical Squad"). Coincidentally, this Proto-Itachi was also conceptualized as an enemy to Naruto and his friends, meaning that Konoha was meant to be morally dubious pretty early on in development.

Of course, maybe this particular "Itachi" person wasn't meant to be "Sasuke's brother" yet, but considering his intended antagonist function in the plot, he would fit the bill at the very least.

Second, in the Land of Waves Arc, Haku insinuates that Sasuke and his clan were likely persecuted for their Kekkei Genkai. This could've been early foreshadowing that, much like the Yuki Clan, the Uchiha were exterminated by their own village. Coincidentally, Proto-Itachi was meant to be a state actor and, once again, fits the bill.

Not that coincidence didn't/couldn't play a role, but today, those tidbits of information go surprisingly well together and complement the current canon. Fans have long since theorized that Kishimoto changed the narrative of "Naruto" from being "anti-state" to "pro-state" post-Chunin Exam Arc, paralleling a right-wing shift in Japanese politics. These published concepts surrounding an evil yet commended, state-sponsored clan killer could easily be the remnants of an abandoned anti-state storyline. If not, this particular collection of once disconnected ideas could've instead served as inspiration for later plot developments.

Speaking of inspiration, it is easy to spot the influences of Proto-Itachi in Danzo, both in terms of physical appearance and character concept. The scar on his chin is, of course, the most tell-tale sign. From the looks of it, once Kishimoto decided that Itachi would be a "good guy", he split off the institutional cruelty that Itachi had once represented and gave it the name of "Danzo".

It should be noted that, regardless of how those plot details shifted in meaning while in development, none of them constitute a "retcon", as none of them had yet been properly introduced into the story. Characters or events that have not yet appeared cannot be retconned.

Proto-Itachi Summary: • Sasuke's (potentially unnamed) older brother was already meant to be the object of his revenge. • The Uchiha Massacre had not yet been established, but government-sponsored persecution against Kekkei Genkai was. • A concept for a Konoha-sponsored enemy named "Itachi" was already sitting in Kishimoto's drafts.

Between Two Debuts

Now, this is a pretty juicy stage in Itachi's conceptual development.

Starting with Chapter #49, we finally learn that the object of Sasuke's revenge is his older brother. Soon after, in Chapter #55, it is also revealed that not only is Sasuke an orphan, but also, he is his clan's lone survivor. So far, the information revealed plays perfectly into what we have just established about Proto-Itachi, building upon the concept without changing the plot's direction.

Although there are certain design inconsistencies (more on that later), the new Canon-Itachi still noticeably resembles Proto-Itachi (which becomes even more apparent in Chapter #127). They both have Itachi's signature "face lines" and wear what appears to be a beanie for a Konoha headband. So, without a doubt, this new character was the successor of Proto-Itachi from the very moment he appeared in the story.

Then Rin no Sho releases, covering Chapters #1 to #119 of the manga. Surprisingly, it's this supplementary guidebook that takes a first step in fleshing out Itachi's character. When commenting on the Uchiha Massacre, the databook states that the reasons behind it were made "taboo" and are hence only known to a select few. In other words, it is implied that yet another party conspired against the Uchiha Clan and, to save face, kept its involvement (or perhaps even the full involvement of Itachi) under wraps.

Not only that, but when we look at Itachi's mission record, we notice that, while he had completed several lower-ranking missions, Itachi had never participated in any A-Rank missions, giving him the mission record of a Chunin. Except, for some inexplicable reason, Itachi managed to qualify for an S-Rank once and never again. Clearly, it was not for his skill, but either out of negligence or necessity. Otherwise, Itachi's track record would match. Many fans have speculated in the past that this mysterious S-Rank might represent or once represented the Uchiha Massacre.

Feel free to disagree, but given how "Itachi" had always been intended as a tool for Konoha's dirty work, it's easy to assume that Kishimoto had already decided (or at least considered) to make Konoha complicit in the Uchiha Massacre at this point in time. It's simply the most logical way to proceed with the original concept of Proto-Itachi, and the Databook entry already hits certain, albeit subtle notes about government involvement (the singular S-Rank mission) and cover-up ("taboo" talk).

I'd argue that, from this point onward, the story takes particular care to characterize Itachi as a paradoxical figure. Before his official debut, we see Itachi one more time in Chapter #127, where we are already introduced to the idea that Itachi is seeking punishment for his crimes, and that he spared Sasuke for him to become his executioner.

If I had to guess, any potential "good guy Itachi" retcon would've had to have been decided on before Chapter #119.

Between Debut Summary: • Proto-Itachi and "Sasuke's older brother" merged into one character by Chapter #49 at the latest. • Certain plot-beats about government involvement and a suicidal Itachi had already been set up ahead of Chapter #139. • It is entirely possible that Itachi's "loyalty" to Konoha was never retconned.

Itachi's Debut Mission

Now, unless we want to accuse Kishimoto of lying or misremembering, the mangaka had already changed the purpose of Itachi's character by Chapter #139. Nevertheless, the mini-arc is frequently mischaracterized as taking place ahead of the supposed "retcon", which is why I find it worth looking into.

While it is absolutely true that this arc depicted Itachi at his most violent (at least as far as on-screen goes), that might've just been the result of Kishimoto not yet having a solid vision for his character. And, although their findings may have been influenced by confirmation bias, Itachi's fans have noted multiple instances of foreshadowing in those few chapters.

During his first in-person appearance, the first thing we see Itachi doing is mocking Konoha. Kisame finds his partner's comment curious, because he knows Itachi to be more restrained than this, meaning that the latter must still have feelings of attachment to his former home. But Kisame not only insinuates that Itachi has feelings, he alleges that Itachi uses snide to process or cover them up.

This is consistent with Itachi's behavior from later chapters, as he is not one to insult his opponents. Even when the other ninja is clearly outmatched, Itachi sticks to neutral observations and occasional praise, never taunts. The only two exceptions? Konoha and, most importantly, Sasuke. All of a sudden, Itachi struggles to keep his nonchalant, unbothered act together.

As a rule of thumb, Itachi's violence increases in parallel to the level of familiarity he has with an individual. Potentially, he could either be panicking or making calculated moves to erase any last inkling of doubt regarding his depravity.

Similarly, in Chapter #142, Itachi reprimands his partner for his recklessness, acting all rational, only for Kisame to later point out several times over that Itachi isn't taking his own advice because, once again, Itachi is uncharacteristically impulsive that day.

And not only is Itachi's decision-making reckless, but it's usually to the benefit of his opponent, keeping Kakashi alive when killing him would've been so much smarter, and later forcing the two Akatsuki to abandon their mission to capture Naruto altogether. Sasuke is the only outlier, but he, too, is incapacitated rather than killed or permanently maimed.

Of course, in the case of Kakashi, you could argue that Itachi was planning to capture the Jonin and interrogate him, except that would serve no tactical purpose, considering the two Akatsuki members had already spotted Naruto with Jiraiya while running from Asuma and Kurenai. Additionally, Asuma notes that finding Naruto in the village is quite a simple task, meaning Itachi had no need for intel - and yet he was fooling around for no discernible reason.

Same thing with Itachi's intention to spare Kurenai and Asuma. You could argue that Itachi simply doesn't want to waste his time fighting random Jonin, but then why are he and Kisame walking around in their terrorist uniforms in broad daylight and stopping for some tea, of all things? To get caught and dragged into a fight?

What obviously doesn't help is that the rest of the cast plays Itachi up as some sort of genius. And not just any genius, but a former ANBU squad captain who rose to the rank at 13 and absolutely should have known better.

Debut Mission Summary: • Itachi spends ten chapters being a walking paradox. He's a genius, yet incompetent (to the benefit of his opponents). He is murderous, yet restrained (to the benefit of his opponents). He is sensible, yet reckless (to the benefit of his opponents). • Itachi's puzzling behavior is probably either the result of internal panic or over-commitment, both serving the purpose of hiding his true self.

Confirmed Retcons

After Itachi's debut arc, I find that the story makes it increasingly difficult to miss the foreshadowing of Itachi's plot twist. I won't go further into them in this essay, but feel free to reblog and add your thoughts! What I am more interested in right now, however, are scenes regarding Itachi that got definitively retconned.

The most famous one, perhaps, is Sasuke's suppressed memory that he only unlocks after learning the truth about his brother. In that scene from Chapter #403, we see Itachi with his headband tied sideways, looking back over his shoulder, and shedding a tear over his own actions.

What makes that scene so special is the fact that it references panels from hundreds of chapters prior, starting with Sasuke's mumbling about a certain crying person in Chapter #7.

In the official English version, Sasuke is seen saying "he made me... cry..." which, at first glance, doesn't exactly make the Chapter #403 scene look like a reference.

However, bilingual fans noted that Viz messed up the translation of this panel. In the original Japanese version, both lines are perfect copies of one another, mentioning "crying" but without naming a subject (ie. the person who was crying). That allowed the line to be used ambiguously.

Original Japanese: 「あの時・・・泣いてた」 Google Translate: "At that time... crying."

Still, based on Kishimoto's own comments, he likely had not yet accounted for Itachi's plot twist at this point in writing the story. So, while it is true that the line was much vaguer in the original, its reusability was probably more of a lucky coincidence rather than the result of meticulous planning.

Similarly, fans like to point out that Itachi had already been depicted glancing back with the sideways headband hundreds of chapters prior, sans tears (see the panel from Chapter #49 and #127). They believe that those earlier panels were meant to foreshadow Sasuke's repressed memory before it was revealed. After all, Itachi was only wearing his headband sideways because Sasuke had knocked it off with a kunai earlier, and that scene hadn't been shown until the truth reveal.

However, if you pay close attention throughout each massacre flashback, you will notice that Itachi had never been depicted wearing his headband the normal way all the way until his debut. That includes one front view, which would never be referenced in Sasuke's repressed memory from Chapter #403. Afterwards, and until the truth reveal, Itachi is never again seen wearing his headband sideways.

It is more likely that Kishimoto had not yet finalized Itachi's design. For similar reasons, Sasuke is shown wearing a Gakuran as a child in chapters as late as #55, even though he canonically never wore a school uniform.

This becomes all the more obvious when we look at Itachi's headband itself. While the standard-issue Konoha headband is roughly based on a bandana that can be worn to cover not only the forehead but the entire scalp as well, it looks nothing like Itachi's torn headband.

If you compare, then the headband that Itachi is wearing in early flashbacks more closely resembles Proto-Itachi's beanie than an actual bandana. It is much thicker, and it has a little spike at the top, both of which are design details present in Proto-Itachi's beanie, but not the way Kishimoto would draw a headband.

So, after he changed his mind about Itachi's design, Kishimoto was probably looking for an organic explanation for the design inconsistencies, and opted for adding in a repressed memory. Ironically, this character design inconsistency likely also inspired a background design inconsistency in Sasuke's flashbacks.

In Chapter #127, we see Itachi standing amidst dead bodies and destroyed buildings. This is also the background in front of which he instructs Sasuke to hate and kill him in a later chapter.

Then, by the time Kishimoto had figured out that he wanted to assign Sasuke a lengthy repressed memory, he drew a different background altogether for that quote and scene, completely devoid of damage or dead bodies.

This served the purpose of adding a chase scene into the night of the massacre, during which Sasuke would knock off Itachi's headband, so that the scene of Chapter #127 could be recreated. Only after the chase do we see that background with the destroyed buildings and dead bodies again, and Itachi once again ties his headband sideways.

Retcon Summary:

• Kishimoto most likely retconned Sasuke's suppressed memory, as indicated by several design inconsistencies as well as official statements. This retcon was related to Itachi's design, however, not his story. • Yes, many Itachi fans view those scenes as foreshadowing anyway.

Conclusion

So, in conclusion, Itachi's plot twist had been in the works at least since Chapter #139. Based on some curious details from the First Databook, however, we can make a pretty decent case that this change was implemented by Chapter #119 already. Depending on how exactly we interpret Kishimoto's statement from the Kobayashi interview, however, it could've been as early as Chapter #49. Still, that's a harder case to make. If Itachi's plot twist has truly been implemented at any point past Chapter #49, then Itachi has indeed been verifiably retconned.

Regardless of when or if Itachi's character was retconned, Konoha's involvement in his crimes possibly was not. Itachi, in concepts from before the Uchiha Massacre had even turned into a plot point, had already been depicted as Konoha's hengeman. There are no indications within the canon of Naruto that Kishimoto had ever changed his mind on that detail. Not that he couldn't have, but the chance is there.

Individual details about Itachi were most certainly retconned, such as his character design and Sasuke's repressed memory.

[nosebleedclub]

Discussion 3/1/25

(Journal prompts—you don’t have to share if you don’t want to—these are for you to explore honestly and unfiltered in your journal!)

1. What have you struggled with recently?

2. List of comforting smells

3. Write a letter to someone who wouldn’t write back

4. Interview the night sky

5. At least one thing you accomplished/overcame recently

Edit: edited the date to 3/1/25 because for some reason I wasn’t paying attention to it being March??

[womenclature]

The Ultimate List of 100 Questions

Lighthearted and Fun Questions

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

What’s your favorite TV show that you can binge-watch over and over?

If you could travel anywhere on Earth, where would you go and what would you do?

What’s your guilty pleasure song that always gets you dancing?

If you were stranded on a deserted island and could have only one item, what would it be?

What’s your favorite ice cream flavor, and do you prefer it in a cone or a cup?

Who’s your celebrity crush, and what would you say if you met them?

What’s the weirdest food you’ve ever tried, and would you eat it again?

If you could time travel, would you go to the past or the future, and why?

What’s your favorite way to spend free time on the weekends?

Getting to Know Each Other Better

What’s your favorite book, and how has it impacted you?

What was your dream job when you were a child, and is it still your dream?

What’s your biggest pet peeve, and why does it bother you so much?

Do you have a favorite family member, and what makes your relationship special?

What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?

What’s your love language, and how do you prefer to receive affection from friends?

What are three things on your bucket list that you want to accomplish?

What’s your favorite season of the year, and what do you love about it?

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received, and who gave it to you?

If you could live in any fictional world, which one would you choose and why?

Deep and Thoughtful Questions

What does your perfect day look like from start to finish?

What’s a personal goal you’re currently working towards?

How do you handle stress and maintain your mental health?

What’s the most meaningful conversation you’ve ever had with someone?

What do you think is the most important quality in a friendship?

What’s your biggest fear, and how do you confront it?

If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?

What’s a significant life lesson you’ve learned recently?

How do you define success, and do you feel successful?

What’s something you’re passionate about that you’d like to share with others?

Fun and Random Questions

If you were a character in a movie, who would you be and why?

What’s the strangest dream you’ve ever had?

If you could switch lives with one person for a day, who would it be?

What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re feeling down?

Do you have any hidden talents or skills most people don’t know about?

What’s the last time you laughed so hard you cried, and what was it about?

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?

What’s your favorite childhood memory?

If you could meet any historical figure, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Questions About Life and Experiences

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received, and who gave it to you?

How do you handle difficult situations or challenges in life?

What’s a skill you’d love to learn, and what’s holding you back?

What does happiness mean to you?

How do you stay motivated when pursuing your goals?

What’s a cause or issue you’re passionate about and why?

Have you ever had a life-changing experience? What happened?

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from a mistake?

How do you balance work, personal life, and hobbies?

What role does faith or spirituality play in your life?

Questions About Relationships and Emotions

What’s your love language, and how does it affect your relationships?

How do you express appreciation for your loved ones?

What’s one thing you wish people understood about you?

How do you deal with conflict in relationships?

What’s the most important quality you look for in a friend or partner?

How have your past relationships shaped who you are today?

What makes you feel most supported and cared for?

Do you believe in soulmates? Why or why not?

What’s your biggest relationship deal-breaker?

How do you maintain strong connections with family and friends?

Fun Hypothetical Questions

If you could have any animal as a pet, regardless of practicality, what would you choose?

What’s a superpower you wouldn’t want to have?

If you were a superhero, what would your name and costume look like?

Would you rather be able to speak every language or play every musical instrument?

If you won the lottery tomorrow, what’s the first thing you’d do?

What’s a fictional character you wish you could meet in real life?

If you could live in any era of history, which one would you choose and why?

What’s a food combination that sounds weird but you absolutely love?

If you could teleport anywhere right now, where would you go?

Would you rather explore the depths of the ocean or outer space?

Questions About Favorites and Preferences

What’s your favorite movie of all time, and what makes it so special?

Do you have a favorite podcast, and why do you enjoy it?

What’s your favorite place to relax and unwind?

What’s your favorite thing about your best friend?

Do you prefer reading books or watching movies, and why?

What’s your favorite kind of music or artist?

Do you have a favorite quote or saying that inspires you?

What’s your favorite holiday, and how do you like to celebrate it?

What’s your favorite season, and what do you enjoy doing during that time?

What’s your favorite way to stay active or exercise?

Questions About Personal Growth and Goals

What are your top three personal goals for the next five years?

How do you measure personal success?

What’s a habit you’d like to break or develop?

What motivates you to keep pushing forward during tough times?

How do you approach learning new things?

What’s a career or field you’d like to explore more deeply?

How do you stay focused on your long-term goals?

What does self-care look like for you?

How do you handle criticism or feedback?

What’s a challenge you’ve overcome that you’re proud of?

Thought-Provoking and Deeper Questions

What do you think is the meaning or purpose of life?

How do you define true happiness?

What’s a question you’ve always wanted to ask but never had the chance?

Do you believe everything happens for a reason, or do we create our own fate?

How do you cope with the uncertainties of life?

What impact do you want to have on the world or those around you?

How do you handle feelings of doubt or insecurity?

What’s one thing you think people misunderstand about you?

If you could give one piece of advice to everyone in the world, what would it be?

What legacy do you hope to leave behind?

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